Abstractftz is one of the ‘pair rule’ segmentation genes of Drosophila melanogaster, and is an important component of the segmentation process in the fruit fly. We discuss the transcriptional mechanism which causes ftz to be expressed in a seven stripe pattern during embryogenesis.

Textbooks have played the leading role in academic education for centuries and their form has evolved, adapting to the needs of students, teachers and technological possibilities. Advances in technology have caused educators to look for new sources of knowledge development, which students could use inside and outside the classroom. Today’s sophisticated learning tools range from virtual environments to interactive multimedia resources, which can be called e-textbooks. Different types of new educational materials that go beyond printed books are now used to (...) support the academic curriculum, with the most interesting ones exemplified in this article to show their value in medical and life sciences education. Certain interesting attempts by Polish publishers at applying technology to support both self-paced and tutor-paced student learning in the medical profession and related areas are presented. The data was collected through a review of literature, discussions with e-learning specialists and medical students, as well as an analysis of examples of good practices. The article also discusses the results of a countrywide survey on the use of e-textbooks to enhance medical education. The research investigates the targeted academic staff’s attitudes towards the use of e-textbooks, the limitations of their implementation, and the character of e-resources currently used by Polish higher education medical institutions. (shrink)

In Deep Medicine, Eric Topol argues that the development of artificial intelligence (AI) for healthcare will lead to a dramatic shift in the culture and practice of medicine. Topol claims that, rather than replacing physicians, AI could function alongside of them in order to allow them to devote more of their time to face-to-face patient care. Unfortunately, these high hopes for AI-enhanced medicine fail to appreciate a number of factors that, we believe, suggest a radically different picture for (...) the future of healthcare. Far from facilitating a return to “the golden age of doctoring”, the role of economic and institutional considerations in determining how medical AI will be used mean that it is likely to further erode therapeutic relationships and threaten professional and patient satisfaction. (shrink)

Like the journal TOPOl, the TOPOl Library is based on the assumption that philosophy is a lively, provocative, delightful activity, which constantly challenges our inherited habits, painstakingly elaborates on how things could be different, in other stories, in counterfactual situations, in alternative possible worlds. Whatever its ideology, whether with the intent of uncovering a truer structure of reality or of shooting our anxiety, of exposing myths or of following them through, the outcome of philosophical activity is always the (...) destabilizing, unsettling generation of doubts, of objections, of criticisms. It follows that this activity is intrinsically a dialogue, that philosophy is first and foremost philosophical discussion, that it requires bringing out conflicting points of view, paying careful, sympathetic attention to their structure, and using this dialectic to articulate one's approach, to make it richer, more thoughtful, more open to variation and play. And it follows that the spirit which one brings to this activity must be one of tolerance, of always suspecting one's own blindness and consequently looking with unbiased eye in every comer, without fearing to pass a (fallible) judgment on what is there but also without failing to show interest and respect. (shrink)

In the rapidly evolving field of medical AI, research by Topol (2019) in Deep Medicine underscores the transformative potential of AI to enhance patient care through precision medicine and predictive analytics. Topol highlights that AI can analyze vast datasets to uncover patterns that elude human practitioners, enabling earlier diagnosis and personalized treatment plans. This integration of AI in healthcare raises significant ethical considerations, such as data privacy, informed consent, and the potential for bias in AI algorithms, which must (...) be addressed to ensure equitable and ethical medical practices. Recent advancements by companies like Neuralink, which is developing brain-machine interfaces, and breakthroughs in synthetic neurons, further illustrate the future potential of AI in medicine. These technologies promise to restore lost neurological functions and enhance human capabilities, pushing the boundaries of what is possible in medical science. However, as we integrate these advanced technologies, we must navigate the ethical implications, ensuring that progress benefits all of humanity. AI has the potential to revolutionize healthcare, transforming how we diagnose diseases, personalize treatment plans, and manage patient care. With advancements in machine learning, natural language processing, and predictive analytics, AI can analyze vast amounts of data quickly and accurately, offering unprecedented opportunities for early diagnosis and intervention. The question that will echo throughout our lifetime will remain: what are the ethical considerations to be taken? (shrink)

Attentive readers of Bakhtin are familiar with the importance he attributed to “semiliterary” or folkloristic genres and art works. Bakhtin came to the interesting conclusion that emerging and historically representative, types of literary works often build from semi-literary blocks. These blocks may be fragmented and incomplete, purely raw materials from the aesthetic viewpoint. Nonetheless, they are harbingers of the emergence of a significant literary form. This is the case with Red Square, apparently a thriller written by two Soviet defectors, Edward (...) Topol and Fridrikh Neznasky, in reality a significant, albeit semi-literary, historical novel in the style of Walter Scott. All constituents analyzed by Lukács in his famous description of Scott's historical novels are present. (shrink)

The purpose of this study was to extend the previous research on ethics in retailing. Prior research of Dornoff and Tankersley (1985–1976), Gifford and Norris (1987), Norris and Gifford (1988), and Burns and Rayman (1989) examined the ethics orientation of retail sales persons, sales managers, and business school students. These studies found the college students less ethically-oriented than retail sales people and retail managers. The present study attempts to extend the research on ethics formation to a geographically and academically diverse (...) sample, and to determine if retail management experience in the form of a professional practicum or internship, or entry level management training programs, such as experienced by recent graduates, are critical factors in the formation of business ethics. The sample consisted of thirty-three students majoring in Human Ecology with a concentration in Retail Merchandising and 51 recent graduates of the retail Merchandising program. The series of fourteen vignettes developed by Dornoff and Tankersley (1975–1976) was used. An acknowledged limitation of this study is the validity of the questionnaire developed by Dornoff and Tankersley due to the method of development and new laws concerning warranties and credit etc. which have occurred since 1976. The instrument was used, however, to maintain consistency with earlier studies for the purpose of comparison of groups. No significant differences were found in the students' perceptions of the fourteen actions presented in the vignettes, but the range of the responses in the post-internship tests increased in many cases. The alumni appeared to be slightly more ethical than the students but not as ethical as the managers surveyed in 1986 by Norris and Gifford. Indications are that the critical point of ethics formation may be at the mid-management level and that internships and management training programs have little effect on the ethical perceptions of participants. These findings are consistent with studies such as Gable and Topol (1988), and Jordan and Davis (1990) which showed high Machiavellian scores among young retailing executives, often buyers, as opposed to upper level retailing management. Scales with measure Machiavellianism, or manipulativeness, have been used as an alternative method of examining business ethics. (shrink)